The keepers of the flame and the oak-grilled barbecue are the brothers Bill and Frank Ostini. In 1952 the Ostini family bought a remote steak house in Casmalia called the Hitching Post. Bill and Frank grew up in the restaurant. And when their dad, Frank Sr., passed away in 1977, the two of them took over the business. They opened the Hitching Post II in Buellton in 1986. In 1988 a fire destroyed the kitchen at the Casmalia location, but thankfully they were able to renovate and reopen just a few months later. And nothing has stopped them since. These days Frank owns the Buellton restaurant and Bill owns the Casmalia location. They are run with a dedicated staff—many employees have spent decades with them. After the Sideways movie phenomenon, a little more attention may have been paid to the Hitching Post II, but both restaurants have a loyal following and continue to remain legends.